Absinthe Fountain at Lewers Lounge

Ever since I watched the characters in Moulin Rouge drink the elusive “green fairy”, I was always curious about absinthe. It’s notorious reputation came to a head when I saw a Buzzfeed video, “Americans Try Absinthe For The First Time”, which propelled my search for absinthe in Honolulu.

Thanks to Yelp Honolulu, I discovered Lewers Lounge. A classy and sophisticated jazz bar, open from 7pm and with live entertainment from 8:30pm. We decided to make a date night of it and stopped first for dinner at Taormina Sicilian Cuisine.

Tartuffo Fresco AKA Truffle Pasta AKA the most expensive plate of carbs I ever ate. A bit underwhelming; not enough flavor!

Grilled Chicken with Brown Butter Sauce. THIS was excellent. Brown butter is life.

After dinner, we took the short walk down the street to the beautiful Halekulani Hotel. Lewers Lounge was full to capacity at that time and we were put on a waiting list to get in. After about 20 minutes or so we were seated at the bar, which is where the absinthe fountain is located!

What does absinthe taste like? We had no idea! All we knew was that it was notoriously strong. It was prepared traditionally with an absinthe fountain, which was mesmerizing to watch. The absinthe is poured in a glass while cold water drips onto a sugar cube, slowly dissolving into the absinthe below.

The absinthe was strong and had a robust licorice flavor. I didn’t care for the taste, but I thought the presentation justified the $20 (per drink!) pricetag. Absinthe fountain over, we gingerly sipped our drink while listening to the accompanying music. This is a wonderful place for to listen to Jazz in Honolulu!

While absinthe is not my first drink choice, I’m happy to have finally tried it, especially with the amazing presentation! Lewers Lounge had great service, and the live jazz was a refreshing change in atmosphere.

We definitely want to go back and try more of their menu items! We had some delicious sorbet, but I heard the coconut cake is the one you need to try. If you’re looking for absinthe, a relaxing night out, and guaranteed good time, head to Lewers Lounge!

For more information on Lewer’s Lounge, click here!

Lewers Lounge
2199 Kalia Rd.
Honolulu, HI, 96815
1-808-923-2311